Vehicular system having a warning system to alert motorists that a mobile phone is in use

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a warning system for use on board a motorized road vehicle. The warning system includes an activity detector that detects an RF signal emitted from a mobile phone when a person driving the motorized vehicle is communicating over the mobile phone. The warning system also has a display device in communication with the activity detector, the display device providing a visual indication to a motorist of another vehicle near the motorized vehicle in traffic, in a manner that allows the motorist of the other vehicle to ascertain when the person driving the motorized vehicle is using the mobile phone.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Priority is claimed from U.S. provisional patent application No.60/351,743, filed on Jan. 24, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1). Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a vehicular system, and morespecifically to a vehicular system having a warning system on board,which is used to warn drivers that the motorist of another vehicle isactively engaged in the use of a mobile phone and thus not able to payfull attention to the duties of driving.

2). Discussion of Related Art

Cellular phones and other mobile phones have become ubiquitous. Almostone billion people in many countries have come to depend upon mobilephones, and use them in all aspects of their daily lives, includingwhile driving their cars.

Talking on a mobile phone while driving is, in many ways, similar todriving while intoxicated, because one's full attention is not directedto the task of driving safely. Many accidents have been attributed tothis unsafe, but popular activity. In many of these accidents, it ispersons in another vehicle that are the victims. When a driver isspeaking on a mobile phone, it is difficult to concentrate on the normaltasks of driving, such as maneuvering, avoiding obstacles, changinglanes, or even turning. Normal preventive actions that avoid collisionsare unlikely to be performed well, and can result in accidents involvingnearby cars.

Several features exist in modern vehicles which allow a vehicle driverto signal to others on the road a driver's intentions to perform anaction that might affect others' safety or traffic flow. Turn signalstell other drivers that one intends to turn shortly and in whatdirection. Brake lights tell a driver behind a vehicle of the vehicledriver's intention to stop.

Studies of the use of the high center-mounted stop lights have shownthat the extra warning given to other motorists of a motorist'sintention to stop has resulted in the prevention of accidents.

Many drivers already drive with extreme caution when a driver is spottedholding a mobile phone while driving. In some countries and in the Stateof New York, it is required that drivers have a hands-free mobile phoneinstallation; however, it would then be virtually impossible torecognize from another vehicle who is on a phone and who is not.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a warning system for use on board a motorizedroad vehicle. The warning system includes an activity detector thatdetects a signal emitted from a mobile phone when a person driving themotorized vehicle is communicating over the mobile phone. The signalmay, for example, be an RF signal or an electrical signal. The warningsystem also has a display device in communication with the activitydetector, the display device providing a visual indication to a motoristof another vehicle near the motorized vehicle in traffic, in a mannerthat allows the motorist of the other vehicle to ascertain when theperson driving the motorized vehicle is using the mobile phone.

It is possible to anticipate such unannounced and possibly dangerousmaneuvers by the mobile-phone-engaged motorist if such motorist gave asignal or warning that he or she is engaged in a mobile phoneconversation. However, because the mobile-phone-engaged motorist isalready engaged in at least one distracting activity, themobile-phone-engaged motorist cannot, or should not, have the burdenhimself or herself of activating such a warning system. It wouldtherefore be a beneficial safety measure if an automatic warning weregiven to all other nearby motorists that a given driver is, bydefinition, engaged in a potentially distracting activity while driving.

To address this need, therefore, a system is proposed to present toothers on the road a signal that someone in the vehicle is using amobile phone and to do so automatically, regardless of whether themobile phone is handheld or hands-free. This system automaticallydetects when a local mobile phone is in used and then activates anexternal signal as a warning to others that the motorist in the vehicleis engaged in a mobile phone conversation and not capable of paying fullattention to the actions and responsibilities of a motorist.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is further illustrated by way of example with reference tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a vehicular system according toan embodiment of the invention, having a warning system to warn othervehicles in traffic that a person operating the vehicular system iscommunicating over a mobile phone;

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating two vehicles, a first of the vehicleshaving a warning system on board which is used to warn a motorist of thesecond vehicle that the person driving the first vehicle is using amobile phone; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a vehicular system according toanother embodiment of the invention, having a mobile phone thattransmits a special-purpose signal indicating that a person operatingthe vehicular system is communicating over a mobile phone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a vehicular system 10,according to an embodiment of the invention, including a motorizedvehicle 12 and a warning system 14.

The motorized vehicle 12 may be any road vehicle, such as a motor car, atruck, or a motorcycle. As is commonly understood, the motorized vehicle12 has a wheeled chassis and an internal combustion engine which drivesthe wheeled chassis forward over a surface, or may be an electric orhybrid vehicle. The motorized vehicle 12 further has a seat in which oron which a person can sit for purposes of driving the motorized vehicle12. The motorized vehicle 12 further has a steering mechanism and othercontrols, such an accelerator or a brake control, that are all under thecontrol of the person driving the motorized vehicle 12.

A DC power supply 16 and brake lights 18 of the motorized vehicle 12form part of the warning system 14. The warning system 14 furtherincludes an activity detector 20, a timing device 22, and a power switch24.

The purpose of the warning system 14 is to warn motorists of othervehicles in traffic when the person driving the motorized vehicle iscommunicating over a mobile phone 26. No radio frequency (RF) signal istransmitted from the mobile phone 26 when the mobile phone 26 isswitched off. When the mobile phone 26 is switched on in standby mode,that is, monitoring a possible call to be received but not being usedfor voice transmission, the normal mode of operation of many mobilephones may cause an RF signal to be briefly transmitted to tell thenetwork that the phone is on and ready to receive or transmit.

When the phone user then places or receives a call, the mobile phone isthen is transmit/receive mode and an RF signal 30 is then transmitted bythe mobile phone 26. The primary purpose of the RF signal 30 is totransmit voice data signals to a remote location distant from thevehicular system 10, such as a cellular phone network. The RF signal 30is also detected by the activity detector 20. The activity detector 20thus detects when the mobile phone 26 is transmitting/receiving or onstandby/off. The activity detector 20 has a sensitivity that is set sothat only an RF signal that is transmitted by the mobile phone 26 isdetected, and RF signals transmitted from mobile phones or transmittingstations outside the motorized vehicle 12 are not detected.

The timing device 22 is activated by the activity detector 20 when theactivity detector 20 detects that the mobile phone 26 is switched on andin transmit/receive mode. The timing device 22 is switched off by theactivity detector 20 when the mobile phone 26 is no longer intransmit/receive mode. A microprocessor 27 may have a computer program28 to assist the activity detector 20 in discriminating between signals.The activity detector 20 detects when the mobile phone 26 is intransmit/receive mode and controls other functions of the warningsystem. The activity detector 20 employs a microprocessor 27 and acomputer program 28. The activity detector 20 detects when the phone isbeing used to transmit/receive by discriminating against transient,standby-mode mobile phone RF signals from the longer-term RF signalswhen in transmit/receive mode. If a special-purpose signal is notpresent in the phone, the transmitted RF energy is detected with asignal strength sensitivity threshold that is set so that only an RFsignal that is transmitted by a nearby mobile phone 26 is detected, andRF signals more distant and transmitted from mobile phones inside othervehicles outside the motorized vehicle 12 are not detected. It sets thehighest threshold of the detectable RF signal. The activity detectorlogic directs the nature of the RF energy to respond to the differentmeans of RF transmission used in the various industry-standard mobilephone systems such as TDMA, CDMA, GSM, PCS, 3G, 2.5G, and others. Thelogic in the activity detector 20 allows the brake lights to turn on ina steady, non-blinking fashion when the brake pedal is depressed byallowing the depression of the brake pedal to override the warningsystem.

The power switch 24, in turn, is connected to the timing device 22. Thetiming device 22 can, for example, switch the power switch 24 on atintervals of two seconds, the power switch 24 being switched on for onesecond in every period of two seconds. The timing device 22 alternatelyswitches the power switch 24 on and off, only when the mobile phone 26is in transmit/receive mode, and the power switch 24 is switched offwhen the mobile phone 26 is no longer in transmit/receive mode.

The brake lights 18 are connected through the power switch 24 to thepower supply 16. Power is provided through the power switch 24 to thebrake lights 18 when the power switch 24 is switched on, and the brakelights 18 are switched off when the power switch 24 is switched off. Itcan thus be seen that the brake lights 18 are alternately switched onand off when the mobile phone 26 is in transmit/receive mode. When themobile phone 26 is not in transmit/receive mode, the brake lights 18 areswitched off. When the mobile phone 26 is not in transmit/receive mode,the brake lights 18 can only be switched on when the person operatingthe motorized vehicle 12 operates a brake control, such as foot brake,to decelerate the motorized vehicle 12. The brake lights 18 will thusprovide a steady light signal whenever a brake control is operated bythe person operating the motorized vehicle 12.

Instead of the brake light as the visual warning signal, it is possibleto employ the high center-mounted stop light and the parking lights or aspecial warning light or lights. The mode might be a steady lightinstead of blinking. An audible warning signal, in addition to orinstead of lights, can also be considered.

FIG. 2 illustrates a motorized vehicle 12 in the form of a motor car,together with another motorized vehicle 50 in traffic. The motorizedvehicle 12 is driven by a person 52, while the motorized vehicle 50 isdriven by a motorist 54 and is behind the motorized vehicle 12. Thebrake lights 18 of the motorized vehicle 12 provide an alternating lightsignal 60 that shines from the brake lights 18 through a window of themotorized vehicle 50. The signal 60 provides a visual indication to themotorist 54 that the person 52 is using a mobile phone. The motorist 54can discern from a blinking or flashing nature of the signal 60 that theperson 52 is using a mobile phone, whereas a constant signal wouldindicate that the person 52 is operating a foot brake to decelerate themotorized vehicle 12.

The two-second period or other appropriate duty cycle at which the brakelights 18 are switched on and off is sufficiently long to be perceptibleby a person, yet sufficiently short so that a person can discriminatebetween a normal, constant brake light used when operating the footbrake, and a signal that indicates that the mobile is in use.

The motorist 54, knowing that the person 52 may pose a danger on theroad, can now take preventive action to avoid a possible collisionbetween the vehicles 12 and 50. Such preventive action may, for example,be decelerating the vehicle 50. Other vehicles in the traffic to theleft, the right, or in front of the motorized vehicle 12 do not see thesignal 60, and continue to drive normally.

In another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 3, a warning system 33utilizes a special-purpose signal 31 generated by the mobile phone 41for the principal purpose of signaling the warning system 33. Whereasthe primary purpose of the RF signal used is to transmit/receive signalsto a remote location, the special-purpose signal is intended primarilyto actuate the warning system 33. This special-purpose signal 31 can bean RF signal or a direct, wire-conducted current. A special-purposesignal would be used if such signal better assures confirmation of thetransmit/receive mode, for example in CDMA transmission, or if thespecial-purpose signal results in simpler deployment or lower cost ofthe warning system. In this embodiment utilizing a special-purposesignal, the warning system 33 would include the mobile phone 41 withinthe warning system 33. Other components, such as the microprocessor 39,computer program 40, power supply 34, etc., are the same as in FIG. 1.

While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments aremerely illustrative and not restrictive of the current invention, andthat this invention is not restricted to the specific constructions andarrangements shown and described since modifications may occur to thoseordinarily skilled in the art.

1. A warning system for a motorized road vehicle, the system comprising(1) a mobile telephone which (i) when it is in a standby mode within thevehicle, generates RF signals of a first, transient, type, and (ii) whenit is being used by a motorist within the vehicle in a communicationmode, generates RF signals of a second, longer term, type, and (iii)does not generate any special RF signal for the purpose of activatingthe warning system; (2) an activity detector which (i) automaticallydetects the RF signals of the first and second types, (ii) discriminatesbetween the RF signals of the first type and the RF signals of thesecond type, and (iii) has a sensitivity such that it does not detect RFsignals from mobile telephones outside the vehicle or RF signals fromtransmitting stations transmitting to mobile telephones outside thevehicle; and (3) a display device which (i) is switched on by theactivity detector while the activity detector is detecting RF signals ofthe second type, and is not switched on while the activity detector isdetecting only RF signals of the first type, and (ii) when it isswitched on, displays a visible warning signal on the rear of thevehicle.
 2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the activity detectorsets a threshold for the RF signal strength which it will detect.
 3. Asystem according to claim 1 wherein the warning signal is displayed onlyon the rear of the vehicle.
 4. A system according to claim 1 wherein thebrake lights on the vehicle are switched on and off as the warningsignal.
 5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the warning signal isdisplayed as a separate light or lights.
 6. A system according to claim1 wherein the motorized vehicle includes a DC power supply which powersthe activity director and the display device.
 7. A motorized roadvehicle having a warning system which comprises (1) a DC power supplywhich is part of the vehicle; (2) an activity detector which (i) ispowered by the DC power supply, (ii) if a mobile telephone within thevehicle. (a) uses a system selected from TDMA and GSM, (b) generates RFsignals of a first, transient, type when it is in standby mode and RFsignals of a second, longer term, type when it is in a communicationmode, and (c) does not generate any special RF signal for the purpose ofactivating the warning system, automatically detects the RF signals ofthe first or second type, and discriminates between the RF signals ofthe first type and the RF signals of the second type, and (iii) has asensitivity such that it does not detect RF signals from mobiletelephones outside the vehicle or RF signals from transmitting stationstransmitting to mobile telephones outside the vehicle; and (3) a displaydevice which (i) is switched on by the activity detector while theactivity detector is detecting RF signals of the second type, and is notswitched on while the activity detector is detecting only RF signals ofthe first type, and (ii) when it is switched on, displays a visiblewarning signal on the rear of the vehicle.
 8. A vehicle according toclaim 7 which contains a mobile telephone which uses a system selectedfrom TDMA and GSM.
 9. A vehicle according to claim 7 wherein theactivity detector sets a threshold for the RF signal strength which itwill detect.
 10. A vehicle according to claim 7 wherein the warningsignal is displayed only on the rear of the vehicle.
 11. A vehicleaccording to claim 7 which includes a timing device such that brakelights on the vehicle are switched on and off as the warning signal. 12.A vehicle according to claim 7 wherein the warning signal is displayedas a separate light or lights.
 13. A method of observing that a motoristin a motorized road vehicle is communicating over a mobile phone which(a) uses a system selected from TDMA and GSM, (b) generates RF signalsof a first, transient, type when it is in a standby mode, (c) generatesRF signals of a second, longer term, type when it is in a communicationmode, and (d) does not generate any special RF signal for the purpose ofactivating a warning system; the method comprising, when the mobilephone is generating RF signals of the second type (A) detecting the RFsignals of the second type by an activity director which (i)automatically detects RF signals of the first type and the RF signals ofthe second type, (ii) discriminates between the RF signals of the firsttype and RF signals of the second type, (iii) has a sensitivity suchthat it does not detect RF signals from mobile telephones outside thevehicle or RF signals from transmitting stations transmitting to mobiletelephones outside the vehicle, and (iv) while it is detecting RFsignals of the second type, but not while it is detecting only RFsignals of the first type, switches on a display device which, when itis switched on, displays a visible warning signal on the rear of thevehicle; and (B) observing the visible warning signal on the rear of thevehicle.
 14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the warning signalis displayed only on the rear of the vehicle.
 15. A motorized vehicleaccording to claim 13 wherein brake lights on the vehicle are switchedon and off as the warning signal.
 16. A motorized vehicle according toclaim 13 wherein the warning signal is displayed as a separate light orlights.